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NFPA 921 > Chapter 3 Definitions > Flashcards

Chapter 3 Definitions Flashcards

1
Q

A temperature measured in Kelvins or Rankines

A

Absolute Temperature

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2
Q

A fuel or oxidizer, often an ignitible liquid intentionally used to initiate a fire or increase the rate of growth or fire spread.

A

Accelerant

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3
Q

Someone’s or something’s surroundings, especially as they pertain to the local environment; for example, ambient air and ambient temperature.

A

Ambient

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4
Q

The maximum current, in amperes, that a conductor can carry continuously under the conditions of use without exceedings its temperature rating.

A

Ampacity

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5
Q

The unit of electric current that is equivalent to a flow of one coulomb per second; one coulomb is defined as 6.24 x 10 (18) electrons

A

Ampere

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6
Q

A high temperature luminous electric discharge across a gap or through a medium such as charred insulation.

A

Arc

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7
Q

The systematic evaluation of the electrical circuit configuration, spatial relationship of the circuit components, and identification of electrical arc sites to assist in the identification of the area of origin and analysis of the fire’s spread.

A

Arc Mapping

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8
Q

The location on a conductor with localized damage that resulted from an electrical arc.

A

Arc Site

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9
Q

Arcing associated with a matrix of charred material (e.g., charred conductor insulation) that acts as a semiconductive medium.

A

Arcing through char.

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10
Q

A structure, part of a structure, or general geographic location within a fire scene, in which the “point of origin”” of a fire or explosion is reasonably believed to be located.

A

Area of Origin

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11
Q

A fire pattern displayed on the cross section of burned wooden structural member

A

Arrow pattern

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12
Q

The crime of maliciously and intentionally, or recklessly, starting a fire or causing an explosion.

A

Arson

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13
Q

Initiation of combustion by heat but without a spark or flame

A

Autoignition

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14
Q

The lowest temperature at which a combustible material ignites in air without a spark or flame.

A

Autoignition temperature.

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15
Q

A deflagration resulting from the sudden introduction of air into a confined space containing oxygen deficient products of incomplete combustion.

A

Backdraft.

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16
Q

A rounded globule of re-solidified metal at the end of the remains of an electrical conductor that was caused by arcing and is characterized by a sharp line of demarcation between the melted and unmelted conductor surfaces.

A

Bead

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17
Q

The expanding leading edge of an explosion reaction that separates a major difference in pressure between normal ambient pressure ahead of the front and potentially damaging high pressure at and behind the front.

A

Blast Pressure Front

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18
Q

Boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion

A

BLEVE

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19
Q

The permanent joining of metallic parts to form an electrically conductive path that ensures electrical continuity and capacity to conduct safely any current likely to be imposed.

A

Bonding

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20
Q

The quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water 1 degree F at the pressure of 1 atmosphere and temperature of 60 F

A

British Thermal Unit (Btu)

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21
Q

A fire effect realized in gypsum products, including wallboard, as a result of exposure to heat that drives off free and chemically bound water.

A

Calcination of Gypsum

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22
Q

The circumstances, conditions, or agencies that brought about or resulted in the fire or explosion incident, damage to property resulting from the fire or explosion incident, or bodily injury or loss of life resulting from the fire or explosion incident.

A

Cause

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23
Q

A relatively thin layer of flowing hot gases that develops under a horizontal surface as a result of plume impingement and flowing gas being forced to move horizontally.

A

Ceiling Jet

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24
Q

A buoyant layer of hot gases and smoke produced by a fire in a compartment.

A

Ceiling Layer

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25
Q

Carbonaceous material that has been burned or pyrolyzed and has a blackened appearance.

A

Char

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26
Q

Convex segments of carbonized material separated by cracks or crevasses that form on the surface of char, forming on material such as wood as a result of pyrolysis or burning.

A

Char Blisters

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27
Q

A distinct and visible fire effect generally apparent on noncombustible surfaces after combustible layers (such as soot, paint, and paper) have been burned away. The effect may also appear where soot has failed to be deposit

A

Clean Burn

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28
Q

An instrument that samples air and indicates whether there are ignitable vapors or gases present.

A

Combustible gas Indicator.

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29
Q

Any liquid that has a closed-cup flash point at or above 37.8 Decrees Celsius. (100.00F)

A

Combustible Liquid

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30
Q

A chemical process of oxidation that occurs at a rate fast enough to produce heat and usually light in the form of either a glow or flame.

A

Combustion.

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31
Q

An ignition source that has sufficient energy and is capable of transferring that energy to the fuel long enough to raise the fuel to its ignition temperature.

A

Competent Ignition source.

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32
Q

Heat transfer to another body or within a body by direct contact.

A

Conduction

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33
Q

Heat transfer by circulation within a medium such as a gas or a liquid.

A

Convection

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34
Q

The tendency of a material to move or deform permanently to relieve stresses.

A

Creep

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35
Q

A flow of electric charge.

A

Current

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36
Q

The process by which conclusions are drawn by logical inference from given premises.

A

Deductive reasoning

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37
Q

Propagation of a combustion zone at a velocity that is less than the speed of sound in the unreacted medium

A

deflagration

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38
Q

A gas, vapor, dust, particulate, aerosol, mist, fog, or hybrid mixture of these, suspended in the atmosphere, which is capable of being ignited and propagating a flame front.

A

Diffuse fuel

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39
Q

A flame in which fuel and air mix or diffuse together at the region of combustion

A

Diffusion flame.

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40
Q

The spread of fire by the dropping or falling of burning materials. Synonymous with “fall down”.

A

Drop down.

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41
Q

Temperatures reached in fires that produce physical effects that can be related to specific temperature ranges

A

Effective fire termperatures

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42
Q

Factual data that is based on actual measurement, observation or direct sensory experience rather than on theory.

A

Empirical data

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43
Q

The process of air or gases being drawn into a fire, plume, or jet.

A

Entrainment.

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44
Q

A logical, systemic examination of an item, component, assembly or structure and its place and function within a system, conducted in order to identify and analyze the probability, causes, and consequences of potential and real failures

A

Failure analysis

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45
Q

The time in minutes, determined under specific laboratory conditions, at which the stud or joist in contact with the exposed protective membrane in a protected combustible assembly reaches an average temperature rise of 121 C (250) or an individual temperature rise of 163 C as measured behind the protective membrane nearest the fire on the plane of the wood.

A

Finish rating

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46
Q

The process of determining the origin, cause, development, responsibility and when required a failure analysis of a fire or explosion.

A

Fire analysis

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47
Q

The circumstances, conditions or agencies that bring together a fuel, ignition source, and oxidizer resulting in a fire or a combustion explosion.

A

Fire cause

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48
Q

The detailed study of how chemistry, fire science, and the engineering disciplines of fluid mechanics and heat transfer interact to influence fire behavior.

A

Fire Dynamics

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49
Q

The process of determining the origin, cause, and development of a fire or explosion.

A

Fire investigation

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50
Q

The visible or measurable physical changes, or identifiable shapes, formed by a fire effect or group of fire effects.

A

Fire patterns

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51
Q

The process of recreating the physical scene during fire scene analysis investigation or through the removal of debris and the placement of contents or structural elements in their pre-fire positions.

A

Fire scene reconstruction.

52
Q

The first fuel ignited is that which first sustains combustion beyond the ignition source.

A

First Fuel ignited

53
Q

The flaming leading edge of a propagation combustion reaction zone.

A

Flame Front

54
Q

The condition where unburned fuel (pyrolysate) from the originating fire has accumulated in the ceiling layer to a sufficient concentration that it ignites and burns; can occur without ignition of, or prior to, the ignition of other fuels separate from the origin.

A

Flameover

55
Q

The upper or lower concentration limit at a specified temperature and pressure of a flammable gas or a vapor of an ignitable liquid and air, expressed as a percentage of fuel by volume that can be ignited.

A

Flammable limit

56
Q

A fire that spreads by means of a flame front rapidly through a diffuse fuel, such as dust, gas, or the vapors of an ignitable liquid, without the production of damaging pressure.

A

Flash fire

57
Q

The lowest temperature of a liquid, as determined by specific laboratory tests, at which the liquid gives off vapors at a sufficient rate to support a momentary flame across its surface.

A

Flash point of a liquid

58
Q

A transition phase in the development of a compartment fire in which surfaces exposed to thermal radiation reach ignition temperature more or less simultaneously and fire spreads rapidly throughout the space, resulting in full room involvement or total involvement of the compartment or enclosed space.

A

Flashover

59
Q

The application of science to answer questions of interest to the legal system.

A

Forensic Science

60
Q

Natural gas, manufactured gas, LP-Gas, and similar gases commonly used for commercial or residential purposes such as heating, cooling, or cooking.

A

Fuel Gas

61
Q

The total quantity of combustible contents of a building, space, or fire are, including interior finish and trim, expressed in heat units or the equivalent weight in wood.

A

Fuel Load

62
Q

A fire in which the heat release rate and growth rate are controlled by the characteristics of the fuel, such as quantity and geometry, and in which adequate air for combustion is available.

A

Fuel-Controlled Fire.

63
Q

Condition in a compartment fire in which the entire volume is involved in combustion of varying intensities

A

Full room involvement.

64
Q

Luminous burning of solid material without a visible flame.

A

Glowing Combustion

65
Q

A conducting connection, whether intentional or accidental, between an electrical circuit or equipment and earth or to some conducting body that serves in place of the earth.

A

Ground

66
Q

An unintended current that flows outside the normal circuit path, such as (a) through the equipment grounding conductor; (b) through conductive material in contact with lower potential (such as earth), other than the electrical system ground (metal water or plumbing pipes, etc.) or (c) through a combination of these ground return paths.

A

Ground fault

67
Q

A form of energy characterized by vibration of molecules and capable of initiating and supporting chemical changes and change of state.

A

Heat

68
Q

An arrow used in a fire scene drawing to show the direction of heat, smoke, or flame flow.

A

Heat and flame vector

69
Q

The measure of the rate of heat transfer to a surface, expressed in kilowatts/m2 or Btu/ft2 . sec

A

Heat flux

70
Q

The heat energy that brings about ignition

A

Heat of ignition

71
Q

The rate at which heat energy is generated by burning.

A

HRR Heat release rate

72
Q

A rapid pressure rise or high force explosion characterized by a shattering effect on the confining structure or container and long missile distance.

A

High-order damage

73
Q

Any substance that will spontaneously ignite or explode upon exposure to an oxidizer.

A

Hypergolic material

74
Q

The process of initiating self-sustained combustion.

A

Ignition

75
Q

The quantity of heat energy that should be absorbed by a substance to ignite and burn.

A

Ignition Energy

76
Q

Minimum temperature a substance should attain in order to ignite under specific test conditions

A

Ignition temperature

77
Q

The time between the application of an ignition source to a material and the onset of self-sustained combustion.

A

Ignition Time

78
Q

A fire that is deliberately set with the intent to cause the fire to occur in an area where the fire should not be.

A

Incendiary fire

79
Q

The process by which a person starts from a particular experience and proceeds to generalizations. The process by which hypotheses are developed based upon observable or known facts and the training, experience, knowledge, and expertise of the observer.

A

Inductive reasoning

80
Q

Any person, entity, or organization, including their representatives, with statutory obligations or whose legal rights or interests may be affected by the investigation of a specific incident.

A

Interested party

81
Q

A line on a diagram connecting points of equal char depth

A

Isochar

82
Q

The preferred SI unit of heat, energy, or work.

A

Joule

83
Q

How many joules are in a calorie?

A

4.184

84
Q

There are ____ jouiles in a BTU.

A

1055

85
Q

A _____ is the heat produced when one ampere is passed through a resistance of one ohm for one second.

A

Joule

86
Q

The systematic process of removing debris from the top down and observing the relative location of artifacts at the fire scene.

A

Layering

87
Q

An explosive that has a reaction velocity of less that 1000m/sec

A

Low explosive

88
Q

A slow rate of pressure rise or low-force explosion characterized by a pushing or dislodging effect on the confining structure or container and by short missile distances.

A

Low-order damage.

89
Q

The fuel that is first set on fire by the heat of ignition; to be meaningful, both a type of material and a form of material should be identified.

A

Material first ignited

90
Q

A material that, in the form in which it is used and under the condition anticipated, will not ignite, burn, support combustion, or release flammable vapors when subjected to fire or heat.

A

noncombustible material.

91
Q

Not readily capable of burning with a flame. (2) Not liable to ignite and burn when exposed to flame.

A

Nonflammable

92
Q

The SI unit of electrical impedance or, in the direct current case, electrical resistance

A

Ohm

93
Q

The general location where a fire or explosion began

A

Origin

94
Q

Any current in excess of the rated current of equipment or the ampacity of a conductor; it may result from an overload, short circuit, or ground fault.

A

Overcurrent

95
Q

A fire fighting term involving the process of final extinguishment after the min body of the fire has been knocked down. All traces of fire must be extinguished at this time.

A

Overhaul

96
Q

The column of hot gases, flames and smoke rising above a fire; also called convection column, thermal updraft, or thermal column.

A

Plume

97
Q

The exact physical location within the area of origin where a heat source and the fuel interact, resulting in a fire or explosion.

A

Point of Origin

98
Q

A flame for which the fuel and oxidizer are mixed prior to combustion, as in a laboratory Bunsen burner or a gas cooking range

A

Premixed flame

99
Q

Application or use of measure to prevent damage, change or alteration, or deterioration.

A

Preservation

100
Q

The cause that directly produces the effect without the intervention of any other cause.

A

Proximate cause

101
Q

Product of decomposition through heat; a product of a chemical change caused by heating.

A

Pyrolysate

102
Q

A process in which material is decomposed, or broken down, into simpler molecular compound by the effects of heat alone; pyrolysis often precedes combustion.

A

Pyrolysis

103
Q

Any substance that spontaneously ignites upon exposure to atmospheric oxygen

A

Pyrophoric material

104
Q

Heat energy carried by electromagnetic waves that are longer than light waves and shorter than radio waves; radiant heat (electromagnetic radiation) increases the sensible temperature of any substance capable of absorbing the radiation, especially solid and opaque objects.

A

Radiant heat

105
Q

The systematic pursuit of knowledge involving the recognition and definition of a problem; the collection of data through observation and experimentation;

A

Scientific method

106
Q

A craterlike indentation created at the point of origin of some explosions.

A

Seat of explosion

107
Q

An explosions with a highly localized point of origin, such as a crater.

A

seated explosion

108
Q

The result of exothermic reactions, occurring spontaneously in some materials under certain conditions, whereby heat is generated at a rate sufficient to raise the temperature of the material.

A

Self heating

109
Q

Ignition resulting from self-heating, synonymous with spontaneous ignition

A

self-ignition

110
Q

The minimum temperature at which the self-heating properties of a material lead to ignition.

A

Self-ignition temperature

111
Q

An abnormal connection of low resistance between normal circuit conductors where the resistance is normally much greater; this is an overcurrent situation but is not an overload.

A

Short Circuit

112
Q

The airborne solid and liquid particulates and gases evolved when a material undergoes pyrolysis or combustion, together with the quantity of air that is entrained or otherwise mixed into the mass.

A

Smoke

113
Q

The condensed residue of suspended vapors and liquid products of incomplete combustion.

A

Smoke condensate

114
Q

Combustion without flame, usually with incandescence and smoke.

A

smoldering

115
Q

Black particles of carbon produced in a flame.

A

Soot

116
Q

Chipping or pitting of concrete or masonry surfaces.

A

spalling

117
Q

Loss, destruction, or material altercation of an object or document that is evidence or potential evidence in a legal proceeding by one who has the responsibility for its preservation.

A

Spoliation

118
Q

Process whereby a material increases in temperature without drawing heat from its surroundings.

A

Spontaneous Heating

119
Q

A fuel that is subject to ignition by thermal radiation such as from a flame or a hot gas layer.

A

Target fuel

120
Q

The increase in length, volume, or surface area of a body with rise in temperature.

A

Thermal expansion.

121
Q

The study of the science, methodology, and practice of temperature measurement.

A

Thermometry

122
Q

Solid or liquid fuel used to intentionally spread or accelerate the spread of a fire from one area to another.

A

Trailer

123
Q

The has phase of a substance, particularly of those that are normally liquids or solids at ordinary temperatures.

A

Vapor

124
Q

An opening for the passage of, or dissipation of, fluids, such as gases, fumes, smoke, and the like.

A

Vent

125
Q

A fire in which the heat release rate or growth is controlled by the amount of air available to the fire.

A

Ventilation controlled fire.

126
Q

The unit of electrical pressure (electromotive force) represented by the symbol “E”; the difference in potential required to make a current of one ampere flow through a resistance of one ohm.

A

Volt

127
Q

Unit of power, or rate of work, equal to one joule per second, or the rate of work represented by a current of one ampere under the potential of one volt.

A

Watt

NFPA 921 (6 decks)

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